Austins, an iconic former department store that operated for more than 180 years before shuttering over a decade ago, is poised for a major revival. The Inner City Trust has submitted plans to convert the landmark building in Londonderry's Diamond area into a cultural and community hub featuring a library and exhibition space, alongside a rear extension and relocated café with city views.
The business closed in 2016 after entering liquidation, leaving more than 50 workers without jobs and the five-storey, 25,000 sq ft building vacant ever since. The Inner City Trust acquired the property in 2025 following a £1.2m grant from Stormont's Department for Communities, supplemented by nearly £0.5m from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to support conservation work on the listed structure.
The application now awaits consideration by Derry City and Strabane District Council. According to a national broadcaster's report, exploratory and conservation work is scheduled to commence on 12 January 2026, with major renovation work planned for late summer 2026. The Trust indicated that initial exploratory work will last six to eight weeks before full restoration begins, with the entire project estimated for completion in 2027.
A retail institution spanning nearly two centuries
Austins dominated shopping in Londonderry for generations, establishing itself as one of the city's most recognisable retail landmarks. The building's corner position on the Diamond made it a focal point of the city centre for nearly 200 years.
Thomas Austin opened a drapery shop on that same corner in 1830—two decades before Harrods of London began trading and more than 25 years before Macy's opened in New York. The business expanded to occupy five storeys and became a cornerstone of retail life, attracting customers across generations.
The store's fortunes shifted as consumer behaviour changed in the early 21st century. Austins reported significant losses in 2011 and 2012, and in November 2014 the listed building was sold to the City Hotel Group, with the trading operation subsequently transferred to a receiver. When the doors finally closed in 2016, the departure marked the end of an era for Derry's retail landscape.
Who is driving the restoration?
The Inner City Trust, established in the 1970s to revitalise Londonderry's city centre following the Troubles, is leading the Austins regeneration. The organisation was founded by figures including the then-Church of Ireland Bishop of Derry James Mehaffey and Catholic Bishop of Derry Edward Daly, and has since developed several of the city's most recognisable buildings, including the Tower Museum, the Tower Hotel, and the Bishop's Gate Hotel.
Austins is not the Trust's only historic preservation project underway. In August 2025, the Department for Communities announced £1.4m in funding from the North West Regeneration Fund to secure the future of the former Danske Bank building in Shipquay Square, which was constructed between 1860 and 1879. The Trust plans to return that property to commercial use as part of broader city centre regeneration efforts.
What will the new Austins look like?
The proposed transformation includes a rear extension spanning the first to fourth floors, alongside internal and external alterations to restore the building's condition. The existing café, currently on the third floor, will relocate to the top floor, offering views across the city centre.
The Department for Communities stated that the Austins grant would help secure the building and advance "physical, social, and economic regeneration" in the city. The Trust has already begun engaging with public and private sector bodies about the building's future uses, though a final decision on the primary tenant is expected later in 2026.
What happens next?
Exploratory and conservation work will begin on 12 January 2026, with contractors undertaking structural assessment and stabilisation measures. The Trust said full restoration work is planned to begin later in 2026, subject to funding and planning consent, with construction estimated to finish in 2027. A formal announcement regarding the building's primary occupant is anticipated in the second half of 2026.
The Austins project forms part of a wider investment in Londonderry's historic core. The broader funding package included £5.1m for the Inner Walled City Public Realm Scheme and £1m for Harbour Square, reflecting a coordinated effort to revitalise the city centre.
